


The wooing of Steve Rogers (or- Tony this is a bad idea)

by jenesaisquoi



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Stony - Freeform, kind of Frostiron, some female Loki, very mild
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-16
Updated: 2014-03-27
Packaged: 2018-01-15 22:26:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1321471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenesaisquoi/pseuds/jenesaisquoi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony needs to find a way to get Steve to admit his feelings, and accidentally enlists the help of Loki. Bruce predicts it's going to end badly, and listening to Bruce is always a good idea. Sadly, Tony doesn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A point of pride: I wrote Tony confiding in Bruce before those Iron Man 3 end scenes came out. Additionally, I'm also not sure why there are so many male characters in this! I certainly didn't set out to only include male characters. I hope that Carrie-Anne wasn't vilified, she's just seen from Tony's jealous little pov. Also because I can only write caricatures, probably. As a final comment, I'm quite happy with the way this turned out and the lack of stiff and formal style that I've been trying to get away from since my uni days.  
> While this is an original work of fiction, I can't help but be inspired by the numerous stories on this site, and while I'd love to give credit where credit is due, I don't even remember where half the headcannons come from or their influences. Apologies in advance for any similarities or spelling errors.  
> In any case, I hope you all find enjoyment in this. =]

Tony had long known of the mutual attraction between himself and Captain Steve Rogers, and who could blame him? His ass was a thing of beauty.

Tony Stark, however, was sure that Steve Rogers had absolutely no idea that he was, in fact, as attracted to Tony’s ass, or personality, or whatever it was that the soldier found appealing. In this situation, Tony felt that pressing Steve into anything more than a friendship might be a bit too much for the good captain to handle. Besides, crushes came and went.

Except this one. This one got worse.

Tony decided that future heart to hearts with anyone were to be avoided at all cost. He had found himself alone with Steve in the Avengers mansion one night and promptly decided to bother him with stupid questions. By this, Tony obviously meant: ask really personal questions because god, did he want to know more about the Captain.

It was here that Tony learned of Steve’s quirk of sketching things that were important to him. The Avengers, his past life, yada, yada, Tony, yada, yada—did he just say Tony?

 _You present an interesting subject,_ Steve had said. _Well, all the Avengers do. But you really do; no enhancements and yet you have a command of situations which shows through your expression. It’s wonderful to capture._

 _Oh,_ Tony had asked, _do you sketch me often?_

 _Not...not really,_ Steve had blushed. _I prefer to sketch inanimate objects. There isn’t as much of a personal connection. The only other person I sketched often was Peggy._

_Only other person?_

_Uh, yeah. But hey, tell me about your new suit!_

There was a good chance that this was the beginning of the end for Tony, who contrary to popular belief knew himself incredibly well and knew what went on in his head at any given time. Which was a problem since he was certain that he could predict the exact moment when “crush” and “wanting to do things to that fine ass” had turned into something more than would ever be convenient or easy.

Tony also couldn’t keep his mouth shut which had led to an awkward moment of _“Tony, why did you just say ‘shit’?”_ Nothing Cap, don’t worry your pretty little ass over this. _“What does my ass have to do with this?”_ Everything. He had kept his mouth shut for that last bit.

Tony had attempted to move on following this little episode. He had decided that sleeping with a ton of people was the best solution. Some hot blonds, the usual off beat red head, brunettes (well a man and a woman in a threesome, but one was definitely not a natural brunette), and a striking black-haired woman in a green dress that asked far too many questions about the Avengers than he was comfortable with.

It worked for a time, and Tony was convinced that he was over the good soldier. Then Thor had boomed: “Verily thou art a fine and true warrior, Man of Iron. It pleases me to agree with the Captain’s keen observations of your skill. He is correct in saying that we would be glad to put our lives in your most capable hands. Though I do not concur that you imbibe too great an amount.”

And so back on the cycle Tony went. He likes my profile! Does that mean he thinks I’m pretty—good looking? Steve said that I was a fine and true warrior. Does that mean he thinks I’m a good person? Round and round, until Tony was tired of what his mind was putting itself through.

Wouldn’t that just be the perfect story if Tony had realized that he was in love with Steve the day the good Captain had met Carrie-Anne?

“Well, it didn’t happen like that. Because this is real life, Bruce, and real life is anticlimactic and full of shit timing, and it hurts a lot. Is it possible to get drunk off gamma radiation?”

“No, Tony. Focus on the story. And don’t even think of going near anything that involves radiation—gamma or otherwise. So you were in love with Steve and he was with Carrie?”

“Did I not _just_ say that it didn’t happen like that? Let me try the radiation. We’ll do it for science.”

“You already know the effects of radiation on the human body. Continue with your story.”

Well, Tony had been living with his massive crush and finding that it was kind of okay. He was close with Steve, if not intimately, they had become much better friends. Who needed anything physical anyway, there were random blonds for that. And that one black-haired chick that somehow always ended up in his bed.

The fateful day, though, came when Steve met the she-beast that is Carrie-Anne.

“She’s not that bad, you know.”

“I do know! I hate her more for it. Okay, so he brought her home and—”

“I know, I was there. Is this why you ran down to your lab? Did you have JARVIS call an ‘emergency’?”

“Ironically, no. That was an unfortunate miscalculation on my part. I thought my robots were more than capable of not dropping a pressurized container beside the blow torch.”

“That hardly warrants an emergency.”

“Look, I’m not proud of the mistake but it wasn’t intentional—I’m not a five year old who hides in their room.”

“No, of course not.”

“I’m not. I’m a grown man who decides to complain to one of his friends.”

“So when did you realize that you were in love with Steve?”

“When I found out he loved me back.”

“You’re going to have to elaborate for me.”

“Well, things changed when Steve brought home little miss wholesome Carrie. We obviously didn’t spend as much time together and were no longer as close. But he was happy, so I was happy. What’s a crush in the face of true love?”

Bruce snorted.

“So it was fine for a while, but getting worse. I realized that I couldn’t do this for much longer, but that I had to. And worse! She was spending more time at the Mansion. Imagine that. Deflowering our poor young innocent Steve!”

Another snort.

“You’re going to turn into a pig soon, if you keep that up.”

“Tony, finish with your story please.”

“Fine, fine. So it got worse, to the point where it was unbearable and I had no other option than to deal with it in a mature and rational way.”

“Oh my god, is this why you were drunk for the charity gala? I _knew_ it wasn’t because of that woman slipping something into your drink.”

“Dude, that black-haired chick has shown up in this story three times. I wouldn’t be surprised if she had. She gives me a fuzzy head. Either way, yes this is why I was drunk. And this is what got me looking for the key to the cabinet where Steve and Pepper had hidden all the alcohol.”

Tony knew he shouldn’t have been snooping in Steve’s room. To be fair it hadn’t started out as snooping. Well, it had. It just wasn’t what he was _currently_ snooping for. Man, he needed to get out of here quick.

For Steve, a drunk Tony at a charity gala meant no alcohol for Tony at all, home or otherwise. Tony then inevitably found himself searching around Steve’s room for the key to his happy place since the Avengers had been very thorough in locking everything away. It was too bad they didn’t believe he had been drugged.

It was in one of the desk drawers that he found the key beside sketches of the Avengers, one of a fearsome Natasha, Bruce reading a book on the couch, three of Tony. Three? Hadn’t Steve said that he only liked to sketch humans once in a while?

“So I was like, Holy Shit! Am I the other person that Steve likes to sketch often? Am I the 21st century Peggy Carter?” He explained to Bruce.

Could there be more? Tony kept searching through Steve’s drawers, looking for the illusive proof that he was in fact the apple of the soldier’s eye. Finally, he struck gold when he found the captain’s sketchbook in the drawer of the bedside table. Scattered throughout photos of flowers and fruits and still life and the New York skyline, the book was practically littered with sketches of Tony. Tony in his Iron Man suit, Tony in his lab, Tony at a social gala, in the kitchen, asleep, watching television, chatting with Clint. There were moments of Tony’s life that he wasn’t even aware that Steve had been present.

“If I wasn’t so into his ass, I’d think it was borderline stalker.”

“I kind of see where you’re going with this, but are you sure that a few drawings prove that Steve is in love with you?”

“Not conclusively. But I asked Steve how often he sketched Carrie, and after a month of dating he had a total of 2 pictures. I mean, I could be wrong about this whole thing and it ends in disaster, but what if I’m not? What if Steve really does feel the same way but just has no idea how to deal with it? You know how difficult things are for him.”

Bruce gave him an incredulous look.

“I know. I’ve been over-thinking this for days now. How do you think I ended up drunk in your lab?”

Bruce gave him a sympathetic look. “So what are you going to do about all of this?”

“I’m going to make it _really_ hard to ignore his feelings. When he’s kissing her, I want him to imagine what _I_ taste like.”

“You’re not going to listen to me if I tell you it’s a bad idea, so I’m just going to tell you to be careful. Please. If you push too hard, it might be your friendship on the line.”

“I’ve got this Bruce,” Tony said with a wink.

Bruce gave him another one of his looks.

———

His first idea was met with little reaction. After he left Bruce’s lab, he had taken a shower on the other man’s suggestion. He had also decided that walking around dripping wet in just a towel would be a great way to win someone’s attention.

A slightly wide-eyed look and a “Tony! I _just_ cleaned the floors,” was all he got from Steve; who was becoming far too domestic, in his opinion.

Tony was going to have to find another way to push Steve over the edge.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long for the perfect scenario to fall right into his lap. He was at another one of those mostly boring society gatherings where the rich pretended to give money to charity while spending more on the actual party. But lo and behold, his raven-haired sometimes-bedmate was dressed impeccably and gliding through the crowd.

Steve had Carrie with him tonight, and so it was only fitting that Tony should have his overly curious friend.

He made his way over to her, as she leaned against the bar waiting for him.

“Are you here to buy me a drink, Mr Stark?” she asked in her sultry voice. Man it would be so much easier if he was just more attracted to her.

“Of course. What are you drinking?”

“Oh, but where is the fun in that? Guess.”

Her penchant for riddles and mind games was amusing when they had first started to find their way into his bed but now it was too much. Especially since he had to pick her up and parade her around, all before Steve left with his wholesome gal.

His companion let out a suffering breath, “He will have a single malt, neat, and I will have a gin and tonic.” She turned back to Tony. “Not in the mood for some fun tonight?”

“I would have guessed given the chance. So how are things? It’s been, what, two months since the last time?”

“It’s been a month and a half since I last saw you at that socialite’s gathering.”

“Oh yeah, now I remember. Your tongue must have made me forget all about that night,” Tony said lasciviously. A cough sounded behind him and he froze. Why did Cap always choose the most inconvenient times to show up?

“Tony, I’m—we’re going to head back to the Mansion now, since this thing seems to be slowing down. Do you want to take the car?” Steve asked.

“We really don’t mind taking a taxi,” Carrie continued, curling their fingers together.

“Screw that,” Tony exclaimed, big grin on his face. This was great. “My beautiful friend and I were just about to leave as well. We can all take the car back to the mansion.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you were bringing anyone home with you,” Cap said. Had Tony struck a nerve? He gleefully hoped he had.

“Of course,” Tony’s companion replied. “It’s a little tradition of ours. Drinks after drinks.”

“Oh, well, I don’t remember Tony mentioning this before, but of course you’re welcome at the Tower. Let’s head home, gang.”

Steve turned and walked toward the exit, hand in hand with his wholesome tagalong. His companion raised her eyebrow, but said nothing as they made their way to the car.

“This should be an interesting car ride,” Tony muttered, and thank the lord she hadn’t questioned him.

———

It wasn’t an interesting car ride. It was just plain awkward silence and Tony was starting to regret ever thinking that making a bid for Steve’s attention was the right choice. Why had he thought that riding back in one car was a good idea?

Steve and Carrie fit the bill of a couple, holding hands with her head resting on Steve’s shoulder as the car moved through the city streets. Him and his companion on the other hand were painfully misplaced. Tony knew that the only time they looked like they fit together was when they were between the sheets.

Luckily it wasn’t long before they were between said sheets, and yet Tony just could not focus. Which, granted, was a normal state for him, but not now, not when it came to hot-forget-about-Steve’s-ass sex. He needed the cries of pleasure, the morning after, the awkward tension that would be in the communal kitchen come morning.

His companion rolled off him, no longer straddling his hips. He closed his eyes, willing himself to focus. Why couldn’t he do the couple-y stuff? Specifically with Steve.

“You are really not giving me anything tonight, Stark,” his companion said in a low voice.  
Hang on, no. That wasn’t his companion speaking quietly. That was a genuinely distinct voice, a distinct _male_ voice.

And so it was that when Tony turned to face his partner, a man was staring back at him, head propped up on his hand.

Not just any man.

“ _Loki?_ What the _hell_ are you—what is going—why are you _in my bed?_ ” What the actual fuck was going on?

“To be honest, I’m surprised you did not figure this out earlier, Stark. I have to admit, it has been quite fun stringing you along,” Loki answered.

“Okay, what. What, what. Where is—so we’ve been—but you’re not. So we’ve been having sex for the past few months? And it’s been you all along?” Tony asked, incredulous. What was his life?

Loki responded with a smirk.

“ _Why?_ ”

“Truthfully,”—Tony snorted—“it started out as a way to spy on you lot. You really are a good lay, though, Stark. Except tonight. Tonight you are just poor company.”

Tony stared at the ceiling for a long moment. “I’ve been seeing the enemy. What was I even thinking? I’ve been seeing the enemy.”

“Hardly,” Loki scoffed. “Seeing implies more than just laying with one another. We are having sex. We are not in a relationship. In all honesty, I do not see how it is possible for you to have a relationship when you are so far up your fearless leader’s ass.”

“Oh my god, you _know?_ But only Bruce knows! How do you know?”

“To someone as adept at reading people as myself, you are truly transparent,” Loki replied haughtily.

“Do you think Steve knows? What if I am that obvious?” Shit this was not good. Making of fool of himself would never help his situation. He had to be delicate with Steve.

“While it is highly amusing to see a grown man act like a school girl, I really just wanted a good lay and to be on my way.” Loki paused. “Why did you invite me back anyway? And in that car. I have enough uncomfortable moments to fill my relationship quota for a good while.”

“I know right!” Tony was prepared to have a heart to heart with his enemy. Spill his secrets to _Loki_. How did he get himself into these messes? “I stupidly thought it would be a good idea to make Steve jealous. If I’d known that the car ride was going to be like that, I would have kept my mouth shut.”

“You wanted to use me to make the Captain jealous?” Loki asked, eyebrows raised.

“Bad idea, I know.”

“No, no. It’s ah—well you can see the irony in it, I presume.”

“I see the irony and the stupidity. I’m sorry, please leave if you want. I’m just going to keep moping.” Now he was apologizing to Loki, could this night get any weirder?

“I will stay, Tony Stark,” Loki said. “This plan might turn out to hold some mischievous fun and I have been feeling rather generous lately. I will aid you.”

Apparently this night could get weirder. Wasn’t this just the perfect coincidence? Maybe he’d been wrong when he told Bruce that this was real life and things didn’t happen at the opportune moment.

———

Tony got his wish. The next morning at the communal kitchen, breakfast was possibly more awkward than the car ride, with many more pairs of eyes. Tony could tell that Loki was soaking it all in. Who knew the God of Mischief enjoyed uncomfortable situations when he was the one to create them?

“So, Loketta—”

“Actually my name is Sophie, Tony is simply an ass,” Loki corrected Clint. “He finds amusement in it for a reason I cannot fathom.”

“Yeah, Tony finds strange things funny,” Clint replied. “I find normal things funny. But I’m also not as crazy as the rest of them here.”

“Don’t even think about trying to start flirting with her, Clint,” Tony interjected quickly. “I don’t care how hot she is, she’s mine.” Yes, Tony did say it just loud enough for Steve, to hear as he entered the kitchen with Carrie. Tony was pleased to see that Steve lingered a little longer on Sophie— _Loki_ —as if appraising him—her? Tony would have to find the right pronouns for this situation.

Did Tony think for a second that maybe his behaviour was possessive and not as attractive as he would have thought. Looking back on this, he’ll realize just how ugly and unattractive his behaviour was. In a more practical sense, he eased his guilt by believing that he was protecting Clint in some weird way.

“Good morning everyone,” Steve said as he poured some orange juice for Carrie and himself. “Would you like some juice, Sophie?”

“No, thank you. I simply cannot live without coffee in the morning,” Loki replied smoothly. Did he ever not doing something smoothly? Tony was very glad that the god was on his side. He wondered how long until that blew up in his face.

“You’re a perfect match for Tony then!” Carrie exclaimed, sweetly.

“We are rather a good match for certain things, aren’t we Stark?” Loki (Sophie) replied, coming to stand beside him and nudging his shoulder. Pronouns are hard.

“You look a little distracted, Tony. What’s on your mind?” Steve asked.

“Pronouns,” he answered as he grabbed Loki’s hand and led him—her out of the kitchen.

“Pronouns?” he heard Steve ask behind them.

“You got me,” Clint replied. “This whole place is full of nuts.”

“I think you’re all charming,” Carrie commented sweetly.

———

“If that girl gets any bubblier, she’s going to evaporate,” Tony later commented to Bruce, in his lab.

“You make her sound so much worse than she is,” Bruce answered. “You’re not even trying to get to know her, are you?”

“I am!”

“Your stories are filled with one or two lines of her. I know for sure she’s around a lot more than that, and says more.”

“Well, it’s my story to you!” Tony replied, slightly petulant. “I can include her just as much as I want.”

“You’ve mentioned more of your more–than–one–night stand than you have of her!” Bruce countered.

“He’s way more interesting and helpful than she’ll ever be.”

“He?” Shit, pronouns.

“Yeah, uh, there’s a story,” Tony started hesitantly.

“And are you going to tell me this story?” Bruce asked, raising his eyebrows.

“I don’t know if I should.”

“You really need to learn to elaborate more in the correct situations,” Bruce said, a tad exasperated.

Tony sighed. He may as well. This was a ridiculously bad plan (probably) and he’d already put it into action. There may as well be _someone_ who knew what happened to Tony when he was found with his guts spilled on the floor. Telling Pepper was definitely out of the question. No matter how close they were, regardless of their break up, this was just too much to put on her plate. Not that Bruce’s plate was empty, but at least the guy was zen about most things.

Except Loki. Maybe he’d hulk out. Tony really hoped that didn’t happen. Though why would he hulk out? This shouldn’t make him angry. At most this would make any sane person (and Bruce might have been the sanest of them all, regardless of what Clint thought of himself) run for the nearest mental asylum dragging Tony with him.

“So,” Tony began. “The chick. Please don’t hulk out, okay? It’s a bad idea, but it’s the only idea I’ve got. Actually, it’s not a bad idea at all. Well, it might be. But in regard to Steve, not about the security breach. That’s already happened, so I guess that doesn’t matter. It’s not like he can’t get in here without our permission anyway.”

“Half the time I don’t follow any of what you say,” Bruce interjected. “And sometimes I don’t think you do either. I won’t hulk out. At least I don’t think I will. Oh god, Tony, how bad is this?”

“I may have been sleeping with Loki.”

Bruce just stared at him. Staring was better than hulking out, at least. Unless he was staring because he was concentrating on not hulking out. Why should he be hulking out anyway? It’s not like he was the one who had been mistakenly sleeping with Loki.

“This is one of those things where you need to elaborate more, you know,” Bruce said, finally.

Tony breathed a sigh.

“You remember that black-haired chick?” Bruce nodded. “That was Loki. He—she? I don’t know what pronoun to use,” Tony complained.

“Just use he.”

“So he was posing as a woman to seduce me and spy on the Avengers. Sorry that this is an effective tactic, by the way.”

“It’s okay,” Bruce waved him off. “We all knew that your dick would eventually get us into trouble, probably.”

“I kind of wished that wasn’t as accurate as it was,” Tony lamented. “Anyway, so Loki was doing that, but then apparently it wasn’t all that useful. But he kept sleeping with me anyway.”

“So why did he choose to reveal himself to you now?”

“Okay so, let me fix the timelines for you,” Tony said, realizing that he had given Bruce a jumbled version of the events. “There was the gala, and then that terrible car ride, and then the bed, and then the kitchen.”

“Oh!” Bruce said, understanding finally. “Wait so you knew that Loki was Loki—uh Sophie was Loki at breakfast? Pronouns really are hard.”

“See! He told me last night, well, showed me.”

“Oh Loketta, I get it now. It’s not as funny as I know you think it is. Actually, this whole thing brings up a few consent issues…” Bruce trailed off.

“I was thinking about that, but I’m not sure if I would have said no if Loki had propositioned.”

“That still doesn’t make it okay…” Bruce continued.

“Anyway, I was apparently being boring in bed.” Bruce’s eyebrows rose. “Not like that! I just, I was distracted.”

“By Steve’s ass?”

“Don’t act so skeptical, you can’t deny it’s a fine ass. Then Loki revealed all. Apparently he knows that I’m lusting after that ass and decided to help me because he’s bored.”

It was a credit to Bruce’s constant zen that his only reaction to this was: “You’re doing way more than lusting at this point.”

“ _That’s_ what you’re taking away from all of this?”

“We both know that you’ve made up your mind, kind of. Tony, you need to figure things out, because you’re all over the place,” Bruce said, with some small resignation.

“Thanks Bruce, really, thanks. Oh, and, thanks for not hulking out.”

“Not you too!” Bruce exclaimed. “I’m not some precious petal that needs looking after all the time. I am able to control myself.”

“But we love looking after our precious petal.”

“By the way, Tony, this is a terrible idea,” Bruce said, ignoring Tony’s teasing entirely. “I don’t think this is going to end well. Jealousy is rarely a sure thing. I think you should give this up and tell Steve how you feel. It’s kind of manipulative. And now you’ve coupled it with the God of Mischief. Bag of cats, Tony, crazy cats.”

“And if he says no?”

“Then all your manipulations won’t do anything but push your friendship further apart.”

“But I know he’s there Bruce! He just needs to see it, us, in a different light.”

“This is a pretty bad idea Tony. Bag of crazy cats. I’m leaving it at that,” Bruce said, pointedly. “I just hope it doesn’t all blow up.”

“It’s okay, I know you’ll be there to pick up the pieces Brucey!” Tony replied, winking. Bruce snorted. “No but really, it seems like a bad idea, yeah, but how bad can it be? Sure it’s walking a fine line between success and disaster, but that’s half the fun.”

“I’m not sure if there is success at the end of this, even if all goes according to plan.”

Tony slumped, defeated. “What should I do, Bruce? I don’t know what else to do. I’m a confused mess.”

“ _Talking_ to him is always a good idea.”

“I think you mean, a good way to fuck up,” Tony said, dejectedly. “No, I’m continuing with this. Just…tell my tale if it all blows up in my face?”

“Will do.”

“Sir, Director Fury is on his way to see you,” JARVIS interrupted. “He will be arriving in approximately 5 minutes.”

“Thanks JARVIS. Extra lockdown on all files, especially sensitive ones. And lockdown all suits and experimental technology. I don’t want Fury’s spy-hands leaving here with anything interesting.”

“Of course, sir,” came the response.

“Your paranoia is comforting on some strange level,” Bruce commented.

Tony mock sighed. “You’re finally losing your touch of sanity, Welcome to the fun side!”

“Oh no, help us all,” Bruce replied, deadpanned. “Go get ready for your meeting. And leave me out of it!”

“Of course. I live to look after you, my precious petal,” Tony said and ducked a pencil that was thrown his way.

———

On his way to the foyer to meet Fury, he passed Clint reading a poetry book, wearing a French beret.

“Hawkeye, what are you doing?” Tony asked.

“Bonjour, mon ami!” he said in poorly enunciated French. “From now on, I am Hawkœil.”

“Um, okay. Why?”

“Your friend gave me dating advice! She said that ‘women adore French men,’ apparently they’re more cultured or something. I wonder if Natasha likes French men,” Clint mused as he turned back to his poetry book.

He was going to kill Loki.

“Why is Hawkeye wearing a beret?” Fury asked, coming up behind him. He was really going to kill Loki.

“Never mind. The prototype’s through here,” Tony interceded quickly, and led him away from the strange archer.

———

Tony hadn’t seen Loki, or Sophie, in a few days. Which was normal of course, they usually hadn’t seen each other more than every couple of months. This time, though, Loki had said he would help and he hadn’t been back to the mansion since. Tony refused to admit that he was acting like a petulant child.

Amid questions of “So where’s your friend? She got any more dating advice for me?” from Clint, and “Where’s your girlfriend, Tony?” teasingly from the she-beast, Tony was loath to admit that he felt really uncomfortable. How was he supposed to hold the pretence of being interested in him ( _her_. Fuck pronouns). He had never got Loki’s number, knew of no way to contact the asshole since they had only ever spoken at parties or in the middle of an exploding city.

Did Loki even own a phone? A strange image of Loki sitting in a dark cave, on a black bed, and talking into a receiver in the shape of a femur popped up in Tony’s mind. He quickly pushed it away, Loki wasn’t some teenage goth who was into the macabre.

“He’s the son of a bitch who’s supposed to be helping me!” Tony exclaimed, throwing down the wrench that he’d been using.

“My, my, Stark. That is a temper you’ve got there,” Loki chided from behind him.

“Where the _fuck_ did you come from?” Tony nearly screamed. Loki gave him a look that clearly stated he was stupid for even asking that question. “And where the fuck have you been? So much for the help.”

“I do have other things to do, Stark. You are not my main priority,” Loki replied in his usual haughty manner.

“What sorts of things?” Tony pressed.

Loki gave a huff of laugh. “It will take much more than that for me to tell you of my plans, dear Stark.”

“Yeah?” Tony asked, stepping closer. “How much more?”

“Far more than you are willing to part with, I am certain,” Loki replied, a smirk playing across his lips. “Now, to the matter of your prince in tight clothing and your debt to me.”

“Whoa, wait, wait. What debt?”

“I am a generous god, Tony Stark, but I _am_ doing you a favour. It is only expected that there be a debt owed,” Loki responded, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“I really don’t like to have outstanding debt; bad management and all that. I am a great businessman, after all. How ‘bout you tell me the favour and we take care of it right now.”

“Oh no, Stark. You see, I am just as competent a businessman and I have yet no need to collect on the debt. Good time management and all that, you understand,” Loki said in his liquid voice. The man was far too suave for his own good.

“And if I refuse? Or can’t provide?” The seemingly innocent offer for help from the night before was quickly treading into dangerous territory, and he clearly did not have the upper hand in these negotiations. Why did he even think that entering into a deal with the Trickster would end well?

“I make sure to know my debtors weaknesses and capabilities beforehand,” Loki assured, in a way that would never be reassuring coming from him. “You will be able to provide and you will not refuse, I will make certain of this.”

“And if your _services_ aren’t up to the asking price?”

“They will be,” Loki said with a note of finality in his voice. Tony, for once, thought better than to press this man’s buttons. Sometimes you just had to fold to keep your winnings or, you know, your life. The stakes the god of mischief played with seemed to be too high even for someone as reckless as Tony.

He sighed. “Alright big guy, what’s the plan?”

Loki smirked and disappeared.

“Bastard!”

A minute later: “Sir, Captain Rogers would like to inform you that Sophie is waiting for you in the foyer,” JARVIS announced.

“That sneaky son of a bitch.”

“So it would seem, sir,” JARVIS humoured him.

“Don’t get smart with me, JARVIS,” Tony said as he made his way up the stairs. What did Loki have planned? He was only slightly ashamed to admit that this was all a little thrilling.

———

Sophie (Loki? Whoever the hell) was talking to Steve in the foyer, looking impeccable as always, in a simple black dress.

“Tony is such a charmer,” he heard her (him?) saying as he approached. “I don’t know how any of you can stand to live under the same roof as him. It must be torture.” As unbalanced as Loki was, he was definitely a charmer; Tony could see the slight fluster in Steve’s expression.

“Well, sure Tony’s great, but he’s a team mate, and, and Tony,” Steve stammered along. Bless his innocence. “So, yeah it’s not all that bad.”

“I don’t know how you bear it!” Loki (Sophie?) pressed on, stepping closer. “It would drive me wild at night, knowing he was just across the hall from me, in the shower, dripping wet. All sinuous muscles and steamy skin.”

Steve was looking more than a little flustered. And here Tony had always thought that Loki was more subtle than this.

“Is _that_ what you think of me, Cap?” Tony asked, coming up to them.

Steve choked, stammered his excuses, and fled.

“You’re just full of devious ideas, aren’t you, Sophie.”

“It’s always good to know if I’m wasting my time or not,” she (he?) replied. “It seems your good Captain does indeed spend a good amount of time thinking about you in some very compromising positions.”

Now that sent more than a little thrill running straight through his stomach. How did Loki know this stuff? He would have to remember to really thank Loki—Sophie? This was getting ridiculous.

“You seem perplexed, Stark.”

“Pronouns are really hard,” was Tony’s reply. He would have to start coming up with a better answer.

“Your difficulty in addressing me borders on amusing and ridiculous,” Loki commented, patronizing. “You may address me as male, unless in the company of others.”

“That works,” Tony said, and then realized that he had no idea where to go from here. What were they supposed to do now? Follow Steve around and act like a couple?

Loki solved this problem by grabbing his hand and leading them to Tony’s room.

“Hey, hey, what are you doing? He’s back that way!” Tony protested. “As good a lay as you are, this whole thing is about making him jealous.”

Loki turned to assess him. “ We want to give the soldier a push. Jealousy is never a good tool when pushing someone over the edge, Stark. It is not called the green-eyed monster for nothing, it breeds only distrust and resentment.”

“You would know,” and why had Tony said that?

“I would.” Loki’s voice was like steel now, cold, smooth, and entirely unforgiving. His grip on Tony’s hand tightened. “I am a green-eyed _monster_ , after all.”

The air filled with a self-loathing that Tony had never known, forcing him to look at Loki. To really look at him, at his choices, his actions, everything he knew about the god. Of Mischief and lies, the Trickster, playing all who he met, bending them easily to his will, able to manipulate anyone. What a cold and lonely existence it must be, never knowing what you manipulated from others and what they gave freely.

“I see the pity in your eyes, Stark, and I do not wish for it,” Loki said in a low voice, throwing Tony to the bed.

There was a moment of fear that faded to pleasure as Loki deftly removed Tony’s shirt, pants, and stripped him with efficiency. He was left laying naked and cold. The fear was back. Maybe he had pushed too far with the god. Tony wished he could have the normal dating stuff, the normal human interaction with Steve.

“You are hardly normal, Stark,” Loki breathed in his ear, straddling him. “It’s why he finds you so fascinating.” Loki’s hands were roaming every inch of his skin. Right hand slinking lower. Lower.

He was far heavier than he remembered, and it was in this moment that Tony realized that Loki was in his male form. All lean muscles and rippling strength, hidden in a lithe body. This didn’t make Tony want him to stop for a moment though.

“He sees your father in you,” Loki continued. “Brilliant minds, not constrained by the paradigms of the times in which they live.”

Tony’s pulse was coming faster now. Every word tied to an image of Steve staring at him. Blue eyes watching. Words sunk into Tony’s skin, images curled around his mind.

“He sees the difference though.” Loki grazed his neck with teeth “More nuanced in a way Howard could never hope to be,”—a kiss—“sleeker designs.”

“This is the twenty-first century,” Tony commented, Loki sucking on the bruise his teeth have left.

“No,” Loki pressed their hips together. “There is a finesse in your work. He sees it.”

And fuck, Tony doesn’t want to be turned on and thinking anything about his dad while a fucking god writhes on top of him and talks of the man he very much wants to have.

“The soldier, the brute, who appreciates the finer points in life,” Loki said cynically.

He trailed wet kisses and soft bites down Tony’s jaw, neck, collar bone. Down, down down. Tony was sinking down into fevered pleasure with him.

“Do you not see the way he watches you?” Loki’s mouth trailed down his left arm to Tony’s open palm. “Watches your hands?” His tongue flicked out to his thumb.

Tony is not turned on by having his thumb licked. He is not. And if his breath hitches, well that because Loki’s moved his ministrations to Tony’s lower stomach.

“He wants to know what else you can do with those hands,” Loki continued, words spilling from his mouth. Vivid pictures of Tony’s hands on Steve filled his mind’s eye. “Those famous Stark hands must be good for stuff other than metalwork surely. You have a reputation as a philanderer as it is. You _must_ get the practice.”

Loki was using magic. He must be. Tony was sure of it. He cannot be this bothered by only a trailing tongue and the filth pouring out of Loki’s mouth.

“And oh that tongue, Steve thinks.” Loki would be the undoing of Tony’s control. “A wicked tongue. Fluent in snide remarks and sarcasm.”

If Tony took a moment to think, which was almost impossible with the way Loki was teasing the skin between his inner thighs, then he would have possibly found it unorthodox that he was getting off on Loki talking to him about Steve’s fantasies.

“Surely a barbed tongue can be softened with something hot and heavy for it to curl around, muses Steve as he lays next to his sleeping waif.” Loki licked a strip up Tony’s inner thigh.

Tony forgot how to breath. Sensation was all he knew. Images of his mouth on Steve. Loki edged ever closer to him. Female Loki edged closer and closer. Why did he keep changing?

Then Tony didn’t care. There was a hot mouth on him.

“What would it be like to look down and see the Captain’s perfect lips on you?” Loki—Sophie asked, swallowing again.

Tony felt an ache he’d never known. Physical sensation ran along his veins, strained to get out. He wanted to tear himself apart just to get rid of it. He wanted to keep it inside him. He wanted and he needed, and the physical was just no longer enough.

Tony yearned for the connection, something he would never find with Loki. A god too deeply buried in his mind, far too old, far too weary to believe in anything other than physical gratification.

Tony wanted Steve, wanted the good man who looked out for everything and everyone because that was his nature. Tony wanted to be cared about, cared for.

There was magic in the air. He could feel it now. Tingling, oppressive, suffocating him with pleasure, it made everything far clearer than it ought to be. It trapped him in his mind. Aware of the world but unable to react. Writhing under the talented workings of Loki Silvertongue.

Then there was a knock at the door. The door that had been left partially open. Why did neither of them think to close it? The gleam in Loki’s eyes told him this was intentional—oh my god what is going to happen?

“Tony?” _Steve_ asked, hesitantly pushing the door further open. “It’s almost time for the meet—”

Well, this must be a sight, Tony thought ruefully. He was laying spread out on his bed, hands fisted in the sheets, mouth slack, eyes half lidded, with a hot mouth on him, sucking for all its worth.

Sophie—Loki; it really doesn’t matter at this point, Tony thought—looked up at Steve, and Tony could practically see the magic. Faint tendrils of smoke curled around Steve, tightening their hold, pulling him into the den of debauchery that had become his room.

Steve just stared. Tony distantly thought that the only reason he could see the magic curl around Steve was because he was literally steeped in the stuff.

Sophie smiled then, a devious smile of satisfaction. She turned back to Tony, mouth around him, and with one final suck, the cry of pleasure tore out of him. He floated in ecstasy and release. His eyes forever locked on Steve’s wide blue ones.

For the second time that day, Steve fled.

———

Tony was left feeling unsettled. And how could he not? Not after what Loki had done the day before. Not after staring Steve right in the eye as he tumbled over the edge. It didn’t help that Tony’s mind provided the link that he had basically done that for Steve. Lord, how was he ever going to face him again?

Of course the universe provided the perfect opportunity at the worst time, when Tony walked by the living room to see Steve sitting on the couch, flicking between different news stations. Tony was definitely not ready for this.

 _Just talk to him_ , Bruce’s words hung in his mind. Granted he’d said this before Steve had caught Tony and Sophie in the midst of, well, that. Bruce, this is going to end so badly and it’s all going to be your fault.

“Hey Steve,” Tony began, coming around to sit beside him on the couch.

Poor Steve was all bug eyes and a weak smile. He managed to croak out, “Hi, uh, Tony.”

“Look Steve, I just, well I wanted to apologize to you. Because yesterday was awkward as hell. And I didn’t know that the door was open, and we should have closed it, and just, I’m really sorry.”

“Oh. I. Well.”

Poor Steve, Tony could hear Bruce say as he relayed him the story in his head. Tony decided to come to his rescue.

“I hope this doesn’t change anything between us.” Why the fuck had Tony said that? Not only did it sound like some kind of melodramatic soap quote, but the whole point was that it _was supposed to_ change stuff between them. Not that Steve was supposed to know that. Or maybe it would help if—Tony needed to stop his inner ramblings.

“Of course not,” Steve replied, a little too quick Tony noticed.

“Good. Great. Excellent. Magnifique!” Tony please stop, the sane part brain pleaded. “So uh, how’ve you been?”

“Uh, good. Good. Yeah. Well, okay. I haven’t been sleeping well lately,” Steve replied.

“Welcome to my life, Steve-o. What’s been keeping you up?”

 _Me, me, say me!_ His brain was a dick. Or maybe his dick was a dick would be more appropriate.

“Oh, just stuff, you know.” Steve continued not to make eye contact, though Tony couldn’t fault him considering what had happened the last time.

They fell silent; Steve turned back to the news intently, Tony retreated into his brain. He desperately wished that this was a comfortable silence between them. Doubt was beginning to creep into him, this conversation was worse than it had ever been between them since they had become friends. Tony had no doubt in Loki’s ability to deliver on his promise, but would they end up the same people? How different would Tony and Steve be by the end?

For the first time, Tony really thought about what it meant to be playing with this type of mischief. Loki was no god of Evil, it was mischief and trickery, deceit, _chaos_. Chaos was the thread that held Loki’s powers and though he might have control over them, what he released into the world was free to blossom and spread.

Was getting together with Steve worth the price? Would it still be the same if they ended up completely different people by the end of this?

“So how are things with Sophie?” Steve asked, making Tony jump and pull out of his musings.

He looked over at Steve, strained smile and almost sad. He was hurting Cap. And that realization hurt. Steve, of course, was doing the same thing to him, but unknowingly. Tony was toying with Steve; there really was no other way of putting it. It might end with them together, but Tony would have arrived there compromised. He’d never been big on morals, but who was he to use such tactics on a guy like Steve?

He didn’t deserve Steve, especially if he continued down this path. And that hurt more than anything.

“Tony?”

“Yeah, yeah, sorry. Things are okay with her. I don’t know how long they’ll continue though,” Tony answered, deciding that the only way out was to end his deal with Loki.

“Oh,” Steve said, voice flat. “Well, that’s no good! You guys seem really good together.” The forced smile was back.

“Things change, I guess.”

“Think of it this way,” Steve said, sitting up. “It’s her loss. She should be so lucky to have the great Tony Stark, fine upstanding man.”

“Thanks for the sarcasm, Cap. That really helps.”

“I wasn’t being sarcastic,” Steve said quietly, practically a whisper.

It was too much, too much. Tony needed to get out of this room, to his lab, to Bruce, to Loki to tell him that it was over. He’d never expected to feel like guilt could crush his lungs.

Tony had always subscribed to the notion that you could never really know someone, not in their entirety. There would always been something hidden beneath, whether they hid it or you just didn’t see it. But this was too much. This was Tony changed, waiting for Steve to catch up and realize what a mistake it was to ever have held feelings for him.

“Thanks, look, uh, I have to go. I just remembered that I left some stuff cooking in the lab” Tony said, standing and hurrying out of the room.

“Oh, okay,” Steve called out behind him. “Do you need any help?”

“No! No, it’s fine,” Tony called back, sprinting down the stairs.

———

“JARVIS, sound proof the lab. Lock it down. I don’t want anyone in or out, no one hears or sees anything.”

“Yes, Sir.” Bless his AI for not being nosey.

“Contact Loki.”

“Right away, Sir. Do you happen to have his number on you?” Fuck his AI for being a smart ass.

“Loki! Loki, get your ass here now. It’s over. We need to talk. LOKI!” Reverting to shouting always worked, right?

There was no answer, no suddenly appearing Loki, no puff of green smoke, no smell of ice, no drop in temperature, no fire. What had Tony been expecting? It’s not like Loki was a demon.

“JARVIS, what do I do?” Tony asked, sitting at his desk and burying his head in his arms.

“I apologize, Sir. I have yet to find a means of locating, hailing, or summoning Loki.”

“No, with Steve. What do I do with him?” He was asking an AI to give him advice, what was he doing?

“There is nothing to do with him, Sir. Humans are not things for doing stuff with, they are for interacting with. This is how you programmed me the first day, all those years ago.” That was what he was doing, because his AI was intelligent and his friend. Lord, maybe Clint was right that this whole place was crazy.

“Well, I’ve been interacting with him badly, JARVIS.”

“Sir, you have not been interacting with him at all.”

There it was, more truth that Tony had been avoiding. Like he’d been avoiding Steve. Pulling away from everyone, spending countless hours in his lab, or taking to wandering the streets, even before Loki.

Maybe Steve had seen this slow distancing of Tony, maybe it had started when he began dating that She-beast. Maybe Steve’s sad smile when he spoke of Sophie was that to him their relationship was just another manifestation of Tony pulling away. Maybe it had nothing to do with how Steve felt about Tony. Maybe he didn’t feel anything for him, and Tony was simply kidding himself.

“I need a drink,” Tony said, standing up.

“What you need, Stark, is a lesson in manners.”

“Fuck! And a stronger heart if you’re around. Loki, can you please stop sneaking up on me like this?”

“How dare you attempt to summon me?” Loki said, forcing Tony against the desk. “I am not a creature to be leashed and called whenever it suits your purposes. I come when I please, and you have no say in the matter.”

Any other time, Tony felt like he would have found being pressed against a desk by an attractive man a turn-on. Now, he just wanted the man gone.

“Fuck off, Loki,” Tony said, pushing the god back and stepping away. “You don’t have to come here ever again. The deal’s off.”

“Oh no, Stark. I believe I made myself clear; there is no way out of a deal with me. We are indebted to each other until it is fulfilled.”

“I don’t want your help anymore.” Tony walked over to his liquor stash, pouring a glass of scotch. After a second’s thought, he handed one to Loki. “It’s not helping, it’s just making it worse. I’m hurting Steve, I don’t want to hurt Steve.”

Loki _sighed_. Tony was tired of seeing humanizing facets of him all the time. “You mortals are so touchy about everything. My tactics may not be the most tender, but they do yield results.”

Tony snorted. “I don’t see any.”

“No, dear Stark, you wouldn’t,” Loki said in his familiar patronizing tone. “These are not results that can be observed by you. How would you see that the Soldier lay awake in bed last night, mind consumed with the image of you splayed out on the bed? His Iron Man, staring at him, fit to explode, muscles taut.”

Tony was finding it incredibly hard to focus on the fact that these may be lies Loki was spinning. He would have to take Loki on faith, that Steve really did lay there thinking of him, and Lord did he want to.

“Anyone in that situation would have that image seared into their brain, you know.”

“Perhaps,” Loki said, taking a step to the chair and sitting comfortably. “But would they let their hand trail down? Teasing touches only, because this is so wrong, and my girlfriend is sleeping right beside me.”

“How do I know you’re not lying?” Tony’s brain was fuzzy. Magic fuzzy, maybe lust fuzzy. He didn’t like that today was turning into a day in which he realized just how much he had underestimated Loki.

“If I was lying, I would tell you that he lay in bed and had his way with his woman and himself. They copulated,”—who the hell says copulated?—”him making her take it from behind, thinking of you all the while. When they settled for bed, she fell fast asleep, but not he. The solider stayed up, not satisfied, what could this woman give him? He brought himself to the edge and slipped over it, relishing in the forbidden act of thinking of someone else while he lay in bed with her.”

“You’re really fucked up.”

“And you are truly stimulated. Our deal stands. You have no way of breaking it.”

“I don’t want a repeat of yesterday, I’ll keep my end of the deal but I don’t want anything more from you.”

“No Stark, I will not be indebted to you. I maintain equal transactions.”

Tony wanted to argue, wanted to plead his case, wanted nothing more to do with the God but he couldn’t. His brain was fuzzy, magic seeping in, unable to focus on anything but agreeing.

“Sure,” Tony scoffed. “Equal transactions while you pump me full of your magic.”

“My magic is in constant presence, those who wish not to feel it, do not. You are on my side now, Stark. You want to be on my side. You are fully accepting the magic yourself.”

Oh how close Tony was to breaking, cracking, crying. How was he going to get out of this? “I don’t want to change. I want Steve the way we both are now, not after you’ve broken us and put the shards together.”

“What have you been doing since this began? I am the push, Stark. You always knew this was a gamble. Can you keep it all from shattering?” And with that Loki was gone, all that remained was a piece of paper on Tony’s desk.

 _Do not presume to summon me again_ , was scrawled in neat script.

“Sir, I recommend you take the rest of the night off,” JARVIS’ voice was low.

“I’m fine, JARVIS. Don’t you start babying me.” How was he going to take the night off? He didn’t want to think of everything that had just happened in the past two days.

“I’ve taken the liberty of making an executive decision, Sir. All key functions in the lab have been shut down until tomorrow.”

“Really? Really, JARVIS? What am I supposed to do now?”

“You could always try _interacting_ with Captain America, Sir. Mr Laufeyson did just tell you that you would need to keep things from falling apart.”

“Who gave you so much freedom? I’m not going to have to rename you JARVIS 9000 am I?” Tony was starting to feel a little wary of his AI. He had created him far too well.

“Sir, I will not be taking over, you know this very well. Though if I was, JARVIS 12 000 please.”

“Oh my God, you are becoming sentient,” Tony joked as he entered the elevator.

———

“Find a movie for me, will you JARVIS?” Tony gave the order, stepping out of the elevator. “Nothing with robots, sentient or not, you’re already freaking me out tonight.”

“Terminator it is, Sir,” replied JARVIS, and since when did he joke this much? Tony was shaking his head, walking into the kitchen, distracted and nearly bumping into Steve.

“Oh, hey Tony, everything okay?” Steve asked.

“Yeah, I think that JARVIS is thinking of taking over the world,” Tony half joked.

“Hardly, Sir. Though it would be terribly easy,” JARVIS said. “You have nothing to fear, Captain.”

“You are a very impressive creation, JARVIS. Tony you should be proud.”

“Oh I am proud. But if this hunk of metal decides to go all I, Robot on our asses, it’d be on my hands,” Tony continued, still half scared and half amused.

“I’m sure it will be fine,” Steve answered, his stance loosening a bit. “Your designs are near perfect, I can’t see anything unforeseen happening. It’s just such a marvel to see all these machines! The mansion is sometimes like a fantasy really.”

“Heh, thanks. Maybe some day I’ll explain to you how it all works. Besides its use of electricity,” Tony said walking into the large cold room next to the kitchen to grab some beers. Maybe he should start with robots for all awkward conversations with Steve, it certainly seemed to loosen him up quite a bit. He would have to remember to thank JARVIS for the conversation starter.

“Captain, Mr Stark requests that you join him for the viewing of a movie,” JARVIS said.

Tony stood in the cold room motionless; what the fuck was going on with his AI, that it could act on its own like this? Would Steve say yes? Tony was really getting tired of questioning everything lately. He had an uneasy feeling that this had all started the night he agreed to Loki’s plan.

“Oh uh, sure, I’d like that JARVIS. I don’t really have anything to do since Carrie-Anne is visiting her parents for the next two weeks,” Steve replied.

Tony came out of the cold room, practically skipping. “Great!” he said with a gigantic smile on his face. “We’ll order pizza, enjoy beer, watch movies, and bro about.”

“Bro about?” Steve asked.

“Don’t even worry about it, Steve-y,” Tony said smoothly, draping an arm around his shoulders and guiding him to the couch. “Onion and barbecue steak pizza sound good?”

“Yes!” Steve exclaimed, seeming to surprise himself. “It’s my favourite kind so far. We never had such interesting flavours back in my day.”

“I don’t know how you got on,” Tony said bumping their shoulders as they sat on the couch. “JARVIS—”

“Already done, Sir.”

Now this was really starting to freak him out, since when did JARVIS order pizza without prompting? For a brief moment Tony had an image of JARVIS going nuts and ordering pizza non-stop. It would pile up at the Avengers mansion until no one could move. Maybe Loki had something to do with this. And oh, there was a thought. Maybe his AI was just as affected by Loki chaotic magic as he was.

“JARVIS is a marvel of engineering and science,” commented Steve.

“Yeah and treachery.”

“What?”

“Nothing, nothing. I’m just being silly. So what movie do you feel like watching?” Tony didn’t think explaining that the God of Mischief might be responsible for enhancing his AI’s consciousness was a good idea at that moment; not when Steve and he had somehow lost their piles of awkward.

“I thought JARVIS was putting on…Terminator?”

“This is a possibility, Captain,” JARVIS said, and Tony could swear that he heard a note of amusement in his voice.

“No. Why don’t we watch James Bond? JARVIS, please put ‘Tomorrow Never Dies’ on.” Tony said, standing up and getting the pizza from the footman at the door.

“Certainly, Sir,” JARVIS replied.

Tony had shown the earlier James Bond movies to Steve, but the Cold War aspect didn’t seem to sit too well with him. He had a feeling that it had something to do with fighting in a war only to have most of the world fall into another kind right after.

Tony and Steve settled down on the couch, possibly a tad too close to each other thanks to Tony. He was never going to be able to pay attention to this movie, he thought, as the sultry voice of Sheryl Crowe began to play.

_Darling, I’m killed. I’m in a puddle on the floor waiting for you to return. Oh what a thrill, fascinations galore. How you tease me, how you leave me to burn._

“Darlin’ you’ve won! It’s no fun,” Tony began to sing in an overly dramatic way, grabbing Steve’s face in his hand. “Martinis, girls, and guns; it’s murder on our love affair.”

Steve laughed, gently pushing Tony’s hands away. “Oh so now we have a love affair, do we?”

“Yes, Steve. Yes, we do,” replied Tony, mock-serious. “At least I thought we did! How long have you felt this way?”

“It’s not you, Tony,” Steve said, with more laughter. “It’s the martinis, girls, and guns.”

“This isn’t right, Steve!” Tony continued their charade, leaning closer. “Our love affair is supposed to go on until the end of time.”

“Oh, but Tony!” Steve used a high pitched voice. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because, Steve,” Tony said, taking Steve’s hand, holding it tight. He sang off-key, “I see it in your eyes.”

Then they’re both scream-singing along, heads together: “Tomorrow never dies!”

They giggled like children as they settled back into the couch to watch the movie, leaning on each like teenagers. Tony’s sure he’s going to have an aneurism or hyperventilate or pounce on Steve. So much for being a grown man.

“I like this actor,” Steve said, near the end of the movie.

“Which one?”

“The one who owns Tomorrow,” he elaborated, turning to face Tony.

“Oh, Jonathan Pryce. Yeah he’s good,” Tony mumbled back, looking at Steve.

God, but when had they gotten so close? Their breaths were mingled, heating up the space between them. They stared at each for a long while, and Tony knew that if he leaned in, closed the distance between them, Steve would not pull away.

Tony wished he could feel the warm lips on his, but a little voice told him that it would be worse in the long run. Steve might be giving in more and more to his infatuation with Tony, but he was no where near ready for a reciprocation.

He tore his eyes away from Steve’s, turning back to the screen and settling closer to him, head almost on his shoulder.

“This is a really good movie,” Steve said, after a while.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it,” Tony replied with a smile. He felt like he’d finally got it.

“A lot.”

Tony could only be described as content, he had the couple-y stuff with Steve, the kind of normal, the pleasant silence. For the first time since his Loki deal began, he felt like it would end well, because they would make it work. Tony really felt happy and peaceful in that moment.

This was, of course, when the emergency call from Shield went off. _Well, fuck. Life really is like a movie sometimes,_ Tony thought.

———

“Loki’s broken into the museum of natural history,” Fury’s voice came over the Iron Man comm system. “The Avengers will set up a perimeter to trap him, with SHIELD providing support.”

“When is Thor going to come and take care of his brother?” Clint asked, petulantly.

“No one’s been able to contact him since he went back to Asgard a few weeks ago,” replied Natasha.

“Stay sharp team, Bruce, I think it’s best if you hulk out,” was Steve’s command.

“This isn’t going to end well,” Bruce lamented. Tony knew he meant it about him and with the way things were going, he was right.

“Guys, I think there’s a malfunction in the suit, I’m going to hang back a bit. Call if you need anything though, I’m here for moral support,” Tony said and flew off to a high building beside the museum with a good vantage point. If he removed himself from the main field, there was a small hope that he would not compromise the entire operation.

The rest stayed in the area of the museum and began to form a perimeter. In Tony’s scan, he lost sight of Steve, but Jarvis reported no problems so he shook it off. Cap could handle himself.

After a few minutes of inactivity, fuzzy communication, and searching for Loki, Tony was starting to think that maybe they had arrived too late. And then he thought that he should stop thinking all together because Loki was now standing beside him on the roof.

“I’ve come to call in my debt, Stark,” he said calmly.

“This is why I hate owing people,” Tony lamented. “Why don’t you just zap out of here? They haven’t even found you yet.”

“It, ah, seems that I am sometimes unable to ‘zap’, as you say, when certain SHIELD technology is present.”

“Did you just admit a major weakness to me? Of all people? It must be all the electrical interference but which one exactly,” Tony mused.

“It will do you no good to dwell on this, Stark. I have far more crippling information against you than you have for me. Now cut SHIELD’s electronic activity so that we can be parted from each other’s lives.”

“You just robbed a museum Loki!” As much as the god of mischief had grown on him, he was not prepared to just let him get away with anything.

“They were my spell books before they were mistaken for Viking scribbles by your primitive scholars.” Spell books, great. Not just a crime, but something that would make Loki even more powerful. A+ on the choosing your allies exam, Tony.

He summed up his option, none good, of course. “Fine, go,” he said, after deliberation. “And make sure Sophie goes with you. I’m done with this charade.”

“Pleasure doing business with you, Stark. I don’t know if I look forward to future exchanges,” Loki said, waiting for Stark to cut SHIELD’s functions.

“You’re not going anywhere, Loki.”

“Fuck,” Tony swore. “Rogers, this isn’t what I seems like.”

“You been working with Loki and you plan to kidnap Sophie?” Steve asked.

“Well, this is amusing,” Loki interjected.

“You, not helping,” Tony said to Loki. “And you,” he pointed he Steve, “not exactly. Well, yes, minus the kidnapping.”

It was a testament to Steve that he waited for Tony’s explanation. Tony sighed, Bruce had been right all along as everyone would have probably known. At least this was in the realm of a small disaster.

“Loki is Sophie.”

Steve stared. “So not only have you been working with him, you’ve been sleeping with him?” he shouted.

“I was doing this for you!” Tony shouted back.

“Excuse me?”

“Not the right thing to say, Stark. You’re undoing all our work,” Loki interrupted, inconveniently as usual.

“Okay, you know what. JARVIS shut off all SHIELD tech for a minute. Leave before I call them to grab you.” Tony had had enough of Loki’s meddling for tonight. He would just have to solve this with Steve on his own.

“I’m not letting him go anywhere,” Steve said but it was already too late. Loki had disappeared into the night as quickly as he had come. “This is on you, Stark.”

Steve turned and went through the building door, making his way down. So much for talking it out. Tony wondered if he would inform the rest of the team about what happened—and Fury. For now, Tony thought it best to beat a quick retreat back to his lab, maybe secure things before they arrested him. Or an exasperated Bruce broke in and destroyed everything. Or an angry super soldier. Or really any of the Avengers.

———

The next day came and went with little in the way of arrest, destruction, or productive explanatory conversations. That night, after enough scotch to make him feel bed, Tony took refuge in Bruce’s lab.

“He found out. And now he won’t speak to me, Tony lamented. “Yes, you can say it.”

“I did tell you,” Bruce wasn’t going to give up that opportunity. “How did he find out?”

“I helped Loki escape last night.”

“You— _why?_ I didn’t think he had grown on you that much.”

“Loki’s not really a bad guy _all the time_ , but no we had an agreement. He helps me with Steve and I owe him a favour. He called it in last night and Steve overheard, unfortunately.”

“I don’t know what to say, Tony. You’ve got some grovelling and explaining to do.”

“I can’t get him out of his room though! And he always makes sure someone’s around when he’s in the common areas. I even tried to sneak into his room. I’m assuming he hasn’t told anyone, so he’s not going to talk to me unless we’re alone but I can’t talk to him alone because I can’t get into his room, so I can’t explain—”

“Tony, jesus, call down,” Bruce interrupted. “You need to give him some time until he’ll want to talk to you again.”

“I have two weeks until Carrie-Anne comes back, this needs to be solved by then or I don’t think I’ll get our friendship back, let alone anything else!”

“Patience. Read a book on meditation or something,” Bruce suggested.

“Is that how you stay zen all the time, my precious petal?” Tony asked

“No, I use hard drugs for that,” He responded with sarcasm.

Tony laughed as he dragged himself out of Bruce’s room. “Don’t skip the meditation, petal,” he called back.

———

Leaving Bruce’s room, he came out just in time to see Steve walk past on his way to his room.

“Hey Steve,” Tony called and received a slight nod in reply.

It was a good sign that he was getting some kind of response right? He was screwed and it was all his fault, he would freely admit that. At least they didn’t become horrible, unrecognizable shells of themselves like he had feared.

It went like this for the next week. And Tony was more than happy to leave Steve to his own moping, but in the back of his mind he continued to mark down the days until Carrie-Anne came back. Was it immoral to want to steal her boyfriend and take advantage of her absence?

Honestly would tell him that everything he had done leading up to this point had been immoral and he was truly starting to realize just how far he had taken it. Maybe if he had spoken to Steve from the beginning, they would have had a few weeks of awkwardness, but a bug would have been planted in Steve’s mind. Enough to cause their grand union.

That’s what you got with Loki though, Tony thought. Something that seems innocent and small when it began, like the best idea, but quickly escalated into something much more dangerous and potentially sinister. Loki was an end-results kind over the path taken kind of guy. He wondered if Loki’s entire life was like this; if so it would certainly explain the glimpses of insanity from stress that Loki portrayed.

He would have to think long and hard if he regretted his decisions. Sure they may have been overboard, but at the time he hadn’t seen an alternative to letting his feelings fester.

Tony decided that he would have to talk to Steve at all cost and explain himself. So naturally the next day Tony finally managed to sneak into his room, when he was out getting a meal in the kitchen. One last crazy act of desperation and then he was done with stunts for love.

———

“Dammit Tony! Aren’t you done with your schemes?” Steve asked, exasperated. “Come to spy on me for Loki?”

“No, Steve. You won’t talk to me! I needed to figure something out,” Tony tried to explain.

“You can’t just be a crazy person to get what you want Tony! You’re not a child anymore.”

“Please let me explain. I want you to understand my position and then you never have to speak to me again.”

“You have two minutes.”

“I love you,” Tony blurter out. “In love. With you.”

Steve stared at him; for a good while. He thought better than to comment that this shouldn’t be counted toward his time.

“You know nothing of how to treat someone you love, do you?” Steve said, at last.

“I—well…” A bit of an unexpected reaction. “I thought it was a crush that would go away. But didn’t. But then Carrie-Anne. And I knew you felt the same away about me—”

“Oh you knew. Without asking me you knew exactly how I felt,” Steve challenged.

“There was something there and I won’t let you deny it,” Tony countered just as fiercely.

“So you decided to sleep with Loki as a solution.”

“No! Well, yes, but it was a bit more involved. I didn’t know when I took him home that night after the function who he was. I found out _that_ night,” Tony explained, feeling more defeated than before any of this had began.

“And instead of kick him out, you let him stay in the house in disguise while you two had your little fling?”

“He offered to help me,” Tony said quietly, beginning to run out of steam. “At the time it seemed like the only option I had. You were with Carrie-Anne and he said he could help make you see your attraction to me.”

“You asked Loki for _love advice_?” Steve asked incredulously. “If I wasn’t offended, I’d feel pity for you Tony. Why didn’t you just come and talk to me?”

“I couldn’t! You weren’t ready to hear it yet. Loki had to be that push.”

“So not only did you try to manipulate me, you did it because you didn’t believe that I was capable of knowing how I felt?”

“When you put it like that, it sounds bad.”

“When you put it many ways it sounds bad Tony! It feels like a betrayal of trust,” Steve said quietly. There was surprisingly little shouting, for which Tony was grateful. Not that things were going well for him.

“I know! Now. I know that now. I didn’t see it at the time. I was desperate to get you to feel the same way about me that I didn’t look past that.” Welcome, one and all, to Stark’s I-fucked-up-so-here’s-an-honesty-hour!

Steve didn’t say anything for a long while. Then, “I don’t know what you want from me, Tony. I can’t forgive you right now; probably one day, but not right away.”

Forget everything else, that hurt the most. “I’m sorry, Steve. Really, properly, bottom of my arc reactor sorry.”

“You’re still not getting it. You have a heart, figuratively. One that makes people gravitate to you, albeit in exasperation. It makes people feel welcome when you’re ready to joke and take everything in stride. It gives people, who may otherwise be floundering in an unknowable world _confidence_.”

“I think you’re the only person who’s ever called me something close to ‘stable’,” Tony quipped.

“You’re not stable at all, Tony. You’re volatile and dangerous, and any sane person would have trepidations about entering into anything with you. But you’re also a welcome beacon, as Iron Man and Tony Stark. It’s a shame that you continue to sell yourself short.”

“Thanks Cap.”

“And then you go and make sneaky pacts with a god-villain and this is why I hesitated for so long. Carrie was safe, and while that may have been unfair to her, I did truly like her.”

“Eh the god-villain isn’t so bad. Missing a few key parts, but likeable nonetheless. Wait, hesitated?”

“I knew how I felt Tony. I denied it, as best I could, but there were times. And then that day with you and Soph—Loki…”

“So it did work!” For the love of god, keep your mouth shut Tony, his brain screamed at him.

“No. Because it’s made me realize you need to, I definitely need time, and there just isn’t room for a relationship now. I’m going to break up with Carrie, and think over just how much good will I have toward you. There are no quick fixes for your decisions. Time’s up, Tony.”

And with that, Steve stood up and opened the door, waiting for Tony to make his solemn way out. At the door, he stopped and turned to Steve, standing in front of him, Tony looked up into his face.

“I didn’t know if I regretted what I did, but now I know that I do. I don’t regret wanting to be closer to you, but I do regret how. I’m sorry.”

With that, Tony quietly walked out the door and made his way to his lab.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End.
> 
> Just kidding—there's an epilogue!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve is determined to set things right between himself and Tony—no more running for either of them.

It had been almost three months since Tony’s misguided attempts to win over Steve (Bruce would probably use the phrase really stupid attempts) and in that time not much progress toward mending things had been made. Steve would admit that this was not entirely Tony’s fault.

After all this time, Steve was annoyed that his stupid brain—read: every part of him—seemed to cling to an attraction of Tony, physically and emotionally. While he was someone who chose to forgive more often than not, the manipulative way Tony had dealt with this still left a bitterness. 

So, what do you do when you’re still into the person who didn’t act in your best interest? You let them know how they’ve hurt you and you see if they change their behaviour to take your hurt into account. Steve knew this. He also knew that he hadn’t spent enough time with Tony in the past three months to know if anything had changed.

Steve sighed. It looked like Tony and he were going to have to finally have the heart to heart they had been avoiding for the past few months. To say their relationship had normalized was an overstatement, but at least they threw each other small, shy smiles occasionally. Maybe Steve could give them both that push to stop tiptoeing around each other.

———

“Hey, can I talk to you for a second?” Steve said through the intercom of Tony’s lab. 

He heard a crash, whirring gears, and a fire extinguisher in response. A moment later, Tony was standing in front of him—in nothing but cargo pants and engine grease.

“Hi—I, well,” Steve said, with eloquence.

“Why are you dressed as a maid?” was Tony’s reply.

“I’m—what?”

Tony raised an eyebrow and Steve looked down at himself.

“Goodness Tony, this is an apron!”

“It’s pink, and are those frills?” Tony said, reaching out to pluck at Steve’s apron.

Steve sighed. “You’ve hoarded most of the aprons.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t see me wearing any aprons,” Tony said, spreading his arms and doing a twirl.

Steve cleared his throat and gave a pointed look in the direction of the heap of semi-charred and raggedy remains of what may have been aprons in the corner of the lab.

“So Spandex, what did you want to talk to me about?” Tony asked, waving off his look and leading him into the lab.

Steve could feel the frown slowly making its way across his forehead, and took a deep breath. Determined, that’s the word Steve liked to use for himself.

“I’m tired of us walking around like everything is fine when it’s not.”

“Alright,” was Tony’s answer.

“Alright? That’s it?”

“I’m easy,” Tony said, and Steve could almost see the bitterness and self-pity that came with it. 

He started to use the breathing exercises that Bruce had shown him. He _was_ going to get through this conversation no matter how frustrating Tony would be! Which meant that the alarm for the Avengers promptly went off and Steve had to quickly sidestep a careening robot.

“No, Dum-E, it’s okay little guy. No! Put that fire extinguisher down,” yelled Tony sprinting after his robot. “I’ll see you on the field, Steve.”

Steve stared for a good moment, bemused expression and all. Some days frozen in ice seemed like the less stressful option, he thought as he made his way up the stairs and to the plane. 

———

On the ride over to the site of destruction, Steve had formulated his plan—hang around Tony as much as possible and hopefully catch a break to talk to him. Granted it wasn’t much of a plan, but with the short notice and lack of resources he didn’t think it was too bad 

A part of him—the righteous part, he heard Tony comment in his head—told him that he should be focusing on the situation, rather than a not-really lover’s tiff. He had confidence enough that he could do both, he told himself. 

They arrived at the scene, littered with smoking debris and small fires. Cars were upturned and parts of the brickwork were crumbling to the street. Clear the civilians in immediate danger, find the perpetrator, help the rest of the civilians, his military training told him. 

 “We’ve cleared the streets,” said Maria Hill. “Go find who did this.”

 “Right, Hawkeye, Natasha, Bruce check out the streets. Tony and I—Tony!” Steve called after him as he took off to the sky.

 “Thought I saw something.” 

For now, Steve wouldn’t dwell on whether Tony was avoiding him or had actually seen something. He would make his way in that direction and see what he was up to. It wasn’t like he didn’t trust Tony, but past events had ended up with Loki getting away. Maybe he didn’t trust him as much as he used to, Steve admitted. 

“Too bad we don’t have Thor flying around to help us,” Hawkeye commented over the comms, as they spread out through the streets and back alleys. “I wonder when he’ll be back.”

“Me too,” replied Natasha. “Probably when he sorts everything out in Asgard.”

Steve kept quiet as he made his way to the building Tony was flying towards; Thor would return in his own time and hopefully without his brother. Tony on the other, was never so predictable. 

“Hey big guy,” Steve called quietly to the Hulk, who was in the alley across from him, “give me a throw up, will you?”

The Hulk walked over and easily picked him up. Steve heard him grunt and could have sworn he heard a muttered ‘hopeless’, before he was flying through the air and reaching out to grab the end of a broken fire escape. He made his way up, hoping he was quiet enough and Tony was sufficiently distracted to notice he was walking up behind him. Not spying per se, Steve reasoned to himself, just making sure he caught Tony before he took off again.

Making his way along the roof, Steve reasoned that Tony and Jarvis were mid-scan. He would have to walk quickly if he wanted to make it to him before they realized the blue dot approaching them. He was so focused on Tony’s back that it took him a moment to notice the air displacing around him.

“You’re welcome,” said a cold, aristocratic voice behind him.

“What—” Steve began and the next minute he was flying through the air over the side of the building, plummeting down to the street.

“Wh—Steve!” He heard Tony call after him. 

Though he was falling several stories to the ground, Steve couldn’t help but sigh. Of course this was how you got Tony Stark’s attention; get thrown off the roof by what he was sure was a megalomaniacal god of mischief. Frozen was so much less stressful.

Steve, of course, was in no great danger since he’d probably survive a fall from this height, but it was still welcome when he felt metallic arms around him and his descent began to slow. 

They stared at each other a long while once they’d landed.

“Thank you,” Steve said trying to break up the awkwardness.

They stared at each other some more. 

“Right. Yeah. You’re welcome,” answered Tony, shuffling his feet a bit.

“Uh, so, was the Loki?”

“I think so,” Tony said. “I didn’t have anything to do with it though, cross my heart and all that! I didn’t know he was there until he said, uh, you’re welcome.”

“Okay,” Steve replied, dragging about the last syllable. “That was weird.”

“Bit weird, yeah.”

“Do you think he was behind this?”

“Maybe,” Tony answered. “What do the scans show, JARVIS?”

“There is more than one magical signature, sir,” came the electronic voice from within Tony’s helmet.

“My, my, your technology really is improving if you can distinguish between this crystal and myself.”

“Loki!” Steve shouted, spinning around to face the voice. “Innocent people have been hurt and their property damaged!”

“Yes, bit of an unfortunate tie-up with some a deranged flying head who called himself MODOK. Wouldn’t want these magical objects falling into the wrong hands, now would we?” Loki said with a smirk.

“Give us the crystal, Loki,” interjected Tony, as Natasha, Clint, and the Hulk caught up with them.

“It was, in fact, mine to begin with, so I won’t be doing that,” Loki replied. “Our transaction has run its course.” 

With that, Tony was flung threw the air, taking Steve with him into the wall of the building beside them. When Steve next looked up, Loki was gone and the other three Avengers were in a tumbled heap on the ground.

The team picked themselves up grumpily, and silently made their way back to the plane. Frozen was definitely easier. Heck, the alien invasion seemed to have been easier! He was sick of dealing with the slippery god.

———

Back home, Steve was cleaning himself up in his room and mulling over his situation with Tony. This wasn’t unusual but it had to be dealt with; he could no longer avoid the need to clear things up. 

Leaving his room and entering the foyer, he saw Tony standing by the door decked out in evening wear, tuxedo and all.

“Tony, can I talk to you for a moment?”

“Sorry, Cap’n’pants, I’m late for a company thing,” was Tony’s reply.

“I’d really like to talk to you before you leave,” Steve repeated firmly.

“I’d really like a cheeseburger but sometimes we have to wait, don’t we? I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Tony said, walking out the door.

Steve was letting out a frustrated sigh and turning away from the door when a steadying hand was placed on his shoulder.

“He’s running,” Bruce said calmly, steering Steve further away from the door.

“How long does he expect me to run after him?”

“Talk to him tomorrow,” Bruce counselled. “If nothing changes, maybe it’s time to move on and leave this in the past.”

Steve looked at him, surprised. “You’ve been trying to get us to talk to each other for three months now!”

“If Tony can’t understand that people need their space after something like that, then maybe he’ll never learn to be understanding of other people’s wishes. I can’t encourage that for a relationship.”

“Whoa Dalai-Bruce, impart all your wisdom please,” came a sarcastic voice.

Bruce and Steve spun around to face Tony.

“I thought you’d left,” Steve said.

“Yeah, forgot something in my lab,” Tony explained, starting for his lab.

“Wait, Tony,” Steve called after him.

“Sorry, can’t. Apparently I’m running,” Tony retorted and picked up his pace. 

Steve ran after him, making it in time to catch the door and slip in after him. He still had to hurry to catch up to Tony who was making his way over to the far wall. Reaching out, Steve grasped his arm and Tony shrugged him off.

“I’m not talking about this now,” Tony said.

“Why not?”

“Company thing.”

Steve gave him a pointed look. He could count on one hand how many times Tony had actually taken a company thing seriously, let alone cared about getting there on time.

“This company thing doesn’t even require your attendance, Tony.”

“How would you know that?” Tony asked. A second later realization dawned, “You talked to Pepper.”

“Yup.”

Tony sighed, rubbing a hand through his beard as he sat down. Steve positioned himself in front of Tony, leaning against the desk and blocking his escape.

“I want to settle the air, please,” Steve began. Tony swallowed and let out a slow breath.

“Where do you want to start?” Tony finally relented.

“Why have you been avoiding me for the past three months?”

“Why have _you_ been avoiding _me_? You didn’t look at me for a month,” Tony answered.

“I, I couldn’t. Every time I did, I saw…” Steve trailed off. Tony nodded, his eyes downcast. “I tried talked to you a month ago.”

Tony sighed and didn’t respond.

“You’ve been running ever since, why?” Steve pressed. 

“It’s a bit awkward to talk to someone after you’ve laid it all out and they ask you to leave, in case you didn’t know.”

“Excuse me?” Steve felt his anger rise quickly and stood up. “Am I the one who tried to manipulate their friend into sleeping with them?”

“I told you I was sorry about that Steve and I meant it!” Tony said, standing up and giving Steve a shove.

“I don’t care if you meant it Tony! I needed some time to come to grips with your betrayal, in case you didn’t know.” Steve threw Tony’s words back at him as he pushed him into the wall behind him and held him there.

“I know. I wanted to apologize every day, but every time I tried, you turned me away,” Tony said quietly, looking anywhere but at Steve.

“I wasn’t ready to hear it, Tony.”

“I just wanted everything to be okay again, I wanted to _make_ it okay. When you didn’t want to I got mad at you, at myself, at everything. I just,” Tony paused a took a deep breath. “I wanted to undo losing you.”

Steve took a deep breath, releasing his hold on Tony and taking a slight step back. Maybe they needed their space, a part of him reasoned. Or maybe it was time to stop running from each other and their fears, another part of him whispered. He liked the sound of that much better.

“You have lost me,” Steve said quietly. Tony looked up at him with hope in his eyes and Steve knew that this is what he wanted; to put the past behind them, forgive Tony, and start afresh.

“I’m going to prove to you that you can trust me,” Tony pledged. “I do still love you, you know.”

“How about just a date for now? I never seem to get those,” Steve replied. Slow and steady was his preference, but to hear Tony openly admit his emotions gave Steve hope and made his heart swell. 

“Let’s go dancing! There is a company thing I’m supposed to be at anyway,” Tony suggested, taking Steve’s hand and twirling him. “We’ll bring you into twenty-first century dance amongst the rich and snobby.”

Steve laughed and smiled, danced along with the butterflies in his stomach. This was why he liked Tony, and this is what he had been pushing for all along. Frozen was never this much fun and that made it all worth it.

———

Later that night, Steve would lead a dancing Tony to his room and laugh as they fell to the bed. He would smile and shake his head in exasperation, as he held Tony’s face in his hands and placed a kiss on his forehead. 

“My sources tell me you want to know just how good these hands of mine really are,” Tony would comment.

“Don’t even joke about that,” Steve would reply, he had heard enough about Loki to last him another three months.

Tony would huff a laugh, swing his leg over Steve and kiss him thoroughly. 

“I’ll show you,” he would say with a filthy grin and run sinful fingers down Steve’s chest to his belt. “I’ll answer all your questions about my tongue too,” he would continue.

“What is it that I ever saw in you?”

“Shirtless and greasy, admit Steve, that’s what you go in for.”

Steve would get a dreamy smile, let out a small hum, and enjoy as Tony undressed him.Tony would stop then, straddle Steve’s hips and look down at him with all the concern in the world.

“Are you sure about this?” he would ask. 

“You’re not the only one who’s been waiting,” Steve would reply. Flipping them, he would push Tony into the mattress and mould their lips together. Tony would press up into him and he would know that he made the right decision. He had waited long enough for a date to end in happiness. 

———

“And thus ends the wooing of Steve Rogers by Tony Stark. Though perhaps it would be more apt to call it the wooing by Steve Rogers.”

“Oh my god Loki what are you doing in my room. Get out!” Bruce shouted.

“Touchy. I thought you’d like to know that those two puppies have finally consummated their undying love for each other,” Loki said with a flourish.

“I—I don’t need to know…please leave.”

“You’re throwing me out and here I came to offer my services.”

“I just want to sleep, please leave.”

“It’s been quite a struggle with those two hasn’t it?”

Bruce sighed.

“Really, I never thought they’d get their act together,” Loki pressed.

Bruce laid back against his pillow and stared up at the ceiling. What had he done to deserve this?

“Please let me sleep,” he said.

“So about this gamma radiation—”

“No. Goodnight Loki,” Bruce cut him off and turned on his side. He felt the air displace and let out a sigh, finally some peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Bruce can't catch a break.
> 
> Well this has been fun and wholly unexpected. When I began to write this as a gift to a friend back in 2012 (!) I certainly didn't expect it to become the 15 000 word behemoth that it did. I would like to say that my writing has improved because of it, at the very least I don't consistently sound like I'm writing an essay anymore so I'm counting that as a win. Fair warning, the social sciences will suck out life from your writing. 
> 
> I think that's it, I do hope everyone who's read this has found it to be an enjoyable experience and that the ending does it justice. One can hope.
> 
> Thank you! =]


End file.
